betaminusstråling

Betaminusstråling, also known as beta-minus decay, is a type of radioactive decay where a neutron within an atomic nucleus transforms into a proton and an electron, with the emission of an electron and an electron antineutrino. The electron emitted is what is referred to as the beta-minus particle. This process occurs in neutron-rich atomic nuclei. When a beta-minus decay happens, the atomic number of the nucleus increases by one, as it gains a proton, while the mass number remains unchanged. This transformation results in the formation of a new element. The energy released during beta-minus decay is shared between the emitted electron and the antineutrino, leading to a continuous spectrum of energies for the beta particles. Beta-minus radiation is a form of ionizing radiation and can penetrate matter to a certain extent, posing health risks if not properly shielded. Common examples of isotopes that undergo beta-minus decay include carbon-14 and tritium. The detection of beta-minus particles can be achieved using devices such as Geiger counters or scintillation detectors. Understanding beta-minus decay is crucial in fields like nuclear physics, radiochemistry, and medical imaging.